Malik Mustafa Mohammed, Head of the department.<br />Uses of steam in the chemical industry<br />Steam is one of the essential resources in the chemical industry as it plays a vital role in a wide range of processes. Steam is used as a medium for heat transfer, as a catalyst in chemical reactions, and as a means of cleaning and sterilization the following are the most important uses of steam in the chemical industry :<br />1. Heat transfer and temperature control / One of the most basic uses of steam in the chemical industry is heat transfer and temperature control within different processes. . Steam is produced in boilers and is used to heat raw materials, activate chemical reactions, and stimulate thermal reactions. and steam pressure and temperature can be controlled accurately, allowing accurate control of chemical reaction temperatures and maintaining optimal production conditions.<br />2. Chemical reactions and catalysis / Steam is also used as a catalyst in many chemical reactions in processes such as thermal cracking and steam cracking. Steam is used to catalyze reactions that convert heavy hydrocarbons into lighter and more useful compounds such as benzene and ethylene and these thermal reactions depend heavily on the presence of steam to provide the necessary heat and to promote the conversion of raw materials into final products of high economic value.<br />3. Fumigation and drying / The evaporation process is used to separate chemicals from each other based on their different boiling points, where the chemical mixture is heated using steam, which leads to evaporation of components with low boiling points and then condensation of steam later to obtain the substances that have been separated. This process is widely used in the petrochemical, food and pharmaceutical industries, in addition, steam is used in drying processes to remove moisture from solids and finished products, which improves their quality and helps in storing them for longer periods..<br />4. Cleaning and sterilization / Steam cleaning equipment is used to remove deposits and contaminants from equipment and devices, which helps keep the plant clean and increase the efficiency of operations . Steam sterilization is also used to kill bacteria, viruses and fungi in production lines, especially in the pharmaceutical and food industry, where hygiene and health safety are vital..<br />5. Refining and distillation / Steam plays an important role in refining and distillation processes as it is used to separate different chemical components based on their boiling points. . In the oil industry, steam is used to separate various hydrocarbons in a distillation tower where the heat transferred by steam provides the energy needed to separate crude oil into different products such as gasoline, diesel oil and jet fuel. ..etc . These processes are essential for the production of fuel and other chemicals used in daily life..<br />6. Power production / In addition to the uses of steam in chemical processes directly, steam is also used in energy production, in thermal power plants, electricity is generated using compressed steam that drives turbines. These plants rely on fossil or nuclear fuels to heat water and convert it into steam, which leads to the production of electricity, and then the energy generated by these processes is used to operate factories and other facilities.<br />7. Winnowing in torches and furnaces / Steam is also used in the process of winnowing fuels in torches and furnaces, where steam is mixed with fuel to improve the combustion process, which increases the efficiency of converting fuel into thermal energy. . This use helps achieve cleaner and more efficient combustion as it reduces harmful emissions and improves the overall performance of the thermal system.<br />Steam is also used in snuffing, which is the atomization of steam to dampen fires and isolate air from fire, especially in furnaces ...<br />It is also used in injection because its pressure is higher than the molecular pressure of hydrocarbon vapor, and it forms a film that surrounds it. It prevents the accumulation of charcoal materials on the surfaces of the internal pipes of furnaces.<br />It is also used in what is known as the removal of carbon materials collected between the fins of the pipes in the ovens type fin tubes by the method of soot blower, in addition to the process of decoking and regeneration.<br />Dhirar Salim Mohammed, chemical engineer.